Wednesday, 17 July 2013

India is densely populated and has high solar insulation, an
ideal combination for using solar power in India. India is already a leader in
wind power generation. In the solar energy sector, some large projects have
been proposed, and a 35,000 km2 area of the Thar Desert has been set aside for
solar power projects, sufficient to generate 700 GW to 2,100 GW.

Solar power in India

Also India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has
released the JNNSM Phase 2 Draft Policy, by which the Government aims to
install 10GW of Solar Power and of this 10 GW target, 4 GW would fall under the
central scheme and the remaining 6 GW under various State specific schemes.

In July 2009, India unveiled a US$19 billion plan to produce
20 GW of solar power by 2020. Under the plan, the use of solar-powered
equipment and applications would be made compulsory in all government
buildings, as well as hospitals and hotels. On 18 November 2009, it was
reported that India was ready to launch its National Solar Mission under the
National Action Plan on Climate Change, with plans to generate 1,000 MW of
power by 2013. From August 2011 to July 2012, India went from 2.5 MW of grid
connected photovoltaics to over 1,000 MW.

According to a 2011 report by BRIDGE TO INDIA and GTM
Research, India is facing a perfect storm of factors that will drive solar
photovoltaic (PV) adoption at a "furious pace over the next five years and
beyond". The falling prices of PV panels, mostly from China but also from
the U.S., have coincided with the growing cost of grid power in India.

Government support and ample solar resources have also
helped to increase solar adoption, but perhaps the biggest factor has been
need. India, "as a growing economy with a surging middle class, is now
facing a severe electricity deficit that often runs between 10 and 13 percent
of daily need”.